Now there
are no phases of insanity more curious than those in which the patient
is possessed with a desire to destroy what he loves best. These cases
are especially worthy of study because they happen so often in our day."
The Wanderer saw that some explanation was necessary and he determined
to give one in as few words as possible.
"Unorna and I had strolled into the Jewish Cemetery," he said. "While
we were talking there, Israel Kafka suddenly came upon us and spoke and
acted very wildly. He is madly in love with her. She became very angry
and would not let me interfere. Then, by way of punishment for his
intrusion I suppose, she hypnotised him and made him believe that he was
Simon Abeles, and brought the whole of the poor boy's life so vividly
before me, as I listened, that I actually seemed to see the scenes. I
was quite unable to stop her or to move from where I stood, though I was
quite awake. But I realised what was going on and I was disgusted at her
cruelty to the unfortunate man. He fainted at the end, but when he came
to himself he seemed to remember nothing. I took him home and Unorna
went away by herself. Then he questioned me so closely as to what had
happened that I was weak enough to tell him the truth. Of course, as
a fervent Hebrew, which he seems to be, he did not relish the idea of
having played the Christian martyr for Unorna's amusement, and amidst
the graves of his own people.
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